The need for developing means for rapid and accurate cultivation and primary isolation of pathogenic Neisseria species, such as N. gonorrhoeae and N. meningitidis, has greatly increased in recent years. A substantial amount of research and development has occurred in an attempt to provide a growth medium for Neisseria which is selective for Neisseria and which inhibits the growth of other microorganisms. A principal problem occurs in that antibiotics which are associated with selective media for Neisseria inhibit the growth of antibiotic-sensitive Neisseria species, such as N. gonorrhoeae. Also, antibiotics, such as vancomycin, which are associated with selective media for N. gonorrhoeae, while prohibiting growth of certain sensitive N. gonorrhoeae, also do not act to inhibit growth of other particular gram negative species, such as Capnocytophaga.
The high level of activity and concern for the development of an improved selective medium for N. gonorrhoeae is amply demonstrated by the following list of references which are all, in some way, associated with the development of selective media for the isolation and growth of N. gonorrhoeae:
Anstey, R. J., J. Gun-Munro, R. P. Rennie, J. H. Thornley, D. G. Schaus, R, Lannigan, Z. Hussain, and R. S. Maharaja. 1984. Laboratory and clincal evaluation of modified New York City medium (Henderson formulation) for the isolation of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. J. Clin. Microbiol.20:905-908.
Berger, U. 1966. A new selective medium for Neisseria meningitidis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. A. Med. Mikrobiol. U. Immunol. 152: 169-172.
Bonin, P., T. Tanino, and H. H. Handsfield. 1984. Isolation of Neisseria gonorrhoeae on selective and nonselective media in a sexually transmitted disease clinic. J. Clin. Microbiol. 19: 218-392.
Brorson, J., I. Holmberg, B. Nygren, and S. Seeberg. 1973. Vancomycin-sensitive strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae: a problem for the diagnostic laboratory. Brit. J. Vener. Dis. 49:452-453.
Cross, R. C., M. B. Hoger, R. Neibaur, B. Pasternack, and F. J. Brady. 1971. VCN-inhibited strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. HSMHA Health Reports. 86:990-992.
Faur, Y. C., M. H. Weisburd, and M. E. Wilson, 1978. The selectivity of vancomycin and lincomycin in NYC medium for the recovery of N. gonorrhoeae from clinical specimens. Health Lab. Sci. 15: 22-27.
Faur, Y. C., and M. E. Wilson. 1982. Correspondence to the editor re: lincomycin versus vancomycin in New York City (NYC) medium for the cultural diagnosis of gonorrhoeae. Brit. J. Vener. Dis. 58: 66.
Granato, P. A., J. L. Paepke, and L. B. Weiner. 1980. Comparison of modified New York City medium with Martin-Lewis medium for recovery of Neisseria gonorrhoeae from clinical specimens. J. Clin. Microbiol. 12: 748-754.
Hipp, S. S., W. D. Lawton, N. C. Chen, and H. A. Gaffar, 1974. Inhibition of Neisseria gonorrhoeae by a factor produced by Candida albicans. Appl. Microbiol. 27: 192-196.
Kraus, S. J., R. C. Geller, G. H. Perkins, and D. L. Rhoden. 1976. Interference of Neisseria gonorrhoeae growth by other bacterial species. J. Clin. Microbiol. 4: 228-295.
Martin, J. E., Jr., S. B. Samuels, W. L. Peacock, Jr., and J. D. Thayer. 1964. Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Neisseria meningitidis sensitivity to spectinomycin, lincomycin, and penicillin G. Antimicrob. Agents Chemo. p. 437-439.
Martin, J. E., Jr., T. E. Billings, J. Hackney J. Thayer. 1967. Primary isolation of N. gonorrhoeae with a new commerical medium. Public Health Reports. 82: 361-363.
Martin, J. E., J. Armstrong, and P. B. Smith. 1971. New system for cultivation of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Appl. Microbiol. 27: 802-805.
Martin, J. E., Jr., and R. Jackson, 1975. A biological enviromental chamber for the culture Neisseria gonorrhoeae. J. Am. Vener. Dis. Assoc. 2: 28-30.
Mirret, S., L. Reller, and J. Knapp. 1981. Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains inhibited by vancomycin in selective media and correlation with auxotype. J. Clin. Microbiol. 14: 94-99.
Odegaard, K., O. Solberg, J. Ling, G. Myhre, and B. Nyland. 1975. Lincomycin in selective medium for the isolation of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Acta. path. microbiol. scand. Sect. B. 83: 301-304.
Phillips, I., D. Humphrey, A. Middleton, and C. S. Nicol. 1972. Diagnosis of gonorrhoeae by culture on a selective medium containing vancomycin, colistin, nystatin, and trimethoprim (VCNT). Brit. J. Vener. Dis. 48: 287-292.
Potuznik, V., O. Hausner. 1967. Selective medium with lincomycin and colistin for the isolation of pathogenic Neisseria. J. Hygiene, Cpid., Micro. 11: 127.
Reyn, A. and M. Bentzon. 1972. Comparison of a selective and nonselective medium in the diagnosis of gonorrhoeae to ascertain the sensitivity of Neisseria gonorrhoeae to vancomycin. Brit. J. Vener. Dis. 48: 363-368.
Robinson, M., C. Hicks, and G. Davidson, 1970. Use of vancomycin, colistimethate, nystatin medium to transport gonococcal specimens. Public Health Reports. 85: 390-392.
Svarva, P., and J. Maeland. 1979. Comparison of two selective media in the cultural diagnosis of gonorrhoeae. Acta. Path. microbiol scanda. Sect. B., 87: 391-391.
Symington, D. A. 1975. Improved transport system for Neisseria gonorrhoeae in clinical specimens. J. Clin. Microbiol. 2: 498-503.
Thayer, J. D., and J. E. Martin, Jr. 1966. Improved medium selective for cultivation of N. gonorrhoeae and N. meningitidis. Public Health Reports. 81: 559-562.
Young, H. 1978. Cultural diagnosis of gonorrhoeae with modified New York City (MNYC) medium. Brit. J. Vener. dis. 54: 36-40.
Young, H. 1978. Identification and penicillinase testing of Neisseria gonorrhoeae from primary isolation cultures on modified New York City medium. J. Clin. Microbiol. 7: 247-250.
While the above list of prior art references amply demonstrate the need for an improved growth media for the isolation and detection of Neisseria species, such as N. gonorrhoeae, none of the references set forth herein above describe the present invention which is directed to the provision of a highly selective culture medium for N. gonorrhoeae and N. meningitidis.